While volunteers do much of the setting up and packing down of the Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days site, steadfastly working behind the scenes is a close-knit events team.

Not only do they all call the Wheatbelt region home, they have grown up alongside field days — and they say this event is a year not to be missed.

Event co-ordinator Kahli Rose said she and assistant event co-ordinators Jen Millsteed and Tiffany Davey and administration assistant Jasmine Pietrocola had been hard at work developing exciting new initiatives for the 2019 field days.

“This year we have seen changes across the board, from internal function software getting a fresh upgrade, to existing areas on site getting a revamp, and also an increase to our volunteer hours program,” Ms Rose said.

“All volunteers will now be paid $20 per hour, which is awarded to their nominated organisation.”

Another initiative includes the extension of the partnership with CSPB, with a luncheon centred around mental health and wellbeing held on the Wednesday.

“The Art Area has been converted into a ‘Story Hub’ for this year’s event. We wanted to create an area for the regional storytellers, artists and photographers to share the beauty of the agricultural industry and the Faces of Field Days stories will also be on display here,” Ms Rose said.

The Dowerin Field Days committee and board of management, as well as its corporate partners, exhibitors and volunteers and the wider Dowerin community, are instrumental in bringing the event to life.

In its 55th year, the agricultural showcase has grown to be the biggest of its kind in WA and one of the biggest in Australia. Ms Rose said support also came from further afield, with the event being a member of the Association of Agricultural Field Days Australasia.

The umbrella group works to ensure member associations promote the agricultural sector in sustainable, exciting and innovative ways.

“The AAFDA provides agricultural events across Australia and New Zealand with a channel to discuss and resolve any issues we come up against,” Ms Rose said.

“It means we can implement blanket rules across all member associations to make stipulations easier for our exhibitors to remember and follow, and allows us to broaden our networks and discuss media and marketing opportunities.

“It is a priceless source of information for Dowerin Field Days, and is a great way to find out what has or hasn’t been working for other events, and look at ways we can bring exciting ideas to Dowerin,” Ms Rose said.